Automatic steering device for barges and like vessels



6. R. TAYLOR. 7 AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR BARGES AND LIKE VESSELS July 31, 1934..-

Filed July 19, 1933 li k INVENTGI? G'ean 'ge 2.725410: 8Y 0Z4 WITNESS HTTUFIYE Y Patented July 31, 19345 sic 7 Lasasrv' 7 AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE. non

BARGES ANDLIKE-VESSELS;

George R. Taylor, Woodlynne, N. 'J.,"'assignor to John H; Mathis Company, Camden, N. J., a I corporation of New dersey I j I Application ,iul iia, 1933, Serial no. 68 1,0'79

i s Claims:- rci. 114-4236) 'Mo'st barges, particularly those of the s c-ow type having rakeends, substantially parallel sides and a flat or substantially flat bottom, have a tend ency to yaw and sheer about whenbeing towed,

particularly when the'distance between the tug and the barge is considerable and a long tow line is therefore required, which tendency is 'fre-' quently emphasized by wind and current conditions. As a result, much difiiculty is often experienced in towing such barges throughnarrow' or sinuous channels or in the neighborhood of other vessels, piers and the like, and'strandings and collisions sometimes result. -Moreover,'any material departure 'of the barge from its proper course brings it more or less at an angle to the latter and requiresthe expenditure ofadditional power on the part'of the tug to return it thereto,

assuming it can be'brought back at all.

- Various expedients and devices have been proposed with a view to remedyingthese condi tions by constraining the'barge to properly follow the tug, at least under theusual conditions encountered when towing vessels ofthis general class, but as far as I am aware none of them has been entirely satisfactory for its intended pur pose.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention'to provide means automatically operative to cause a barge or other generally similar vessel to maintain a proper course after the tug or other vessel by which it is being towed irrespec tive of local tide and wind conditions and the like. r

A further object of the invention is'the' provis'ion of means of the character aforesaid' which are effective to cause'the barge to substantially follow the course of thetug when the latter is proceeding through sinuous channels, necessitating frequent turns to starboard or port, and thus prevent the barge from grounding on one side or the other of the channel because of inability to properly respond to thevariations in the course Of the tug.

' Still further objects of the invention are the provision of apparatus which is automatically effective to prevent the barge from yawing, or

sheering about whenbeing towed withlia long hawser by operating the rudder in the properdi-,

motion to return the barge to its truecourse whenever it tends to depart therefroinj which is simple and rugged in construction, comparative- 1y cheap, not liable toga out of order orbecome damaged under the'conditions ofuseto which such apparatus is necessarily subjected, and,

which may be readily installed on existing barges as well'as on new ones while they are being built.

' Other Object'aadVantags and novel"features of design, construction and arrangefne'nt inherent in'o'r comprehended by the invention are hereinafter more particularly: mentioned or will which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus operatively installed adjacent-the bow of abarge of the type to which the invention is particularly applicablej Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation" of the parts shown in Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of said parts, and Figs. 4, 5 and dare respectively diagramamtic views designed-to show the operation of the invention under various conditions. Like characters of reference are usedto designate the same parts in the several figures. v 1

Ilhe i' vention is of particular utility when-in-. stalled ona barge or generally-similar vesselhav ihg a'bow rudder, and I havetherefore shown in conventional "typeprovided'wi'th a bow rudder R which may be of any preferred shape and construction. In accordance with the usual practice, the rudder is mounted at the lower end of a rudder stool; S extending through a rudder port P to'terminate at a suitable distance above the 'deck D of the barge@ In accordance with the present invention, I fixedly though preferably removably secure to this projecting end of the rudder stock a collar 1' by means of'a pin or bolt 2 orin any other suitable way so that thecollar will turn with the stock, a plate 3 being desirably fitted beneath the collar and secured'to the deck to compensate for the sheer-of the latter and'aiford a suitable bearingfor the lower face of the collar so astop'ropp the drawing a portionof the bow of a barge B'of H Y the collar and thus lying athwartships when the rudder is parallel with the keel. At a suitable dis- .tancelastern of the rudder stock and collar, '1 sea bitt or post generally desigcure tothe deck D nated-as 6, the center of which is invertical f r alignment with the keel. The bitt comprises 'a base 7 having flanges adapted; for the reception of bolts 8 for securing it to the deck'a-nd,'preferably, a downwardly projecting shank 9 inserted in the structure of the barge to afford additional rigidity to the post as a whole. As best shown in Fig. 3, at a suitable'di'stance above the deck the 7 post is. reduced in diameter to forin a shoulder 10 anda stem 11 projecting thereabove about which is rotatably' disp'o'seda 'collar l5 the low'e'r face I the shoulder,' and for holding of whichseats on I the collar in place on the-stern suitablefmeans are provided such, for example,- as a keeper plate ldoverlying theupperfaceof thec'ollar and' rethereto by abolt 17 threaded into stern, the collar thus being niovabl secured the upper end'of the free to rotate upon the latter;

The collar 15'is provided with a'yoke 18', preferably integralwith the collar, having oppositethe yoke although preferably somewhatlonger,

and also, above this yoke, with a forwardly errk tending jaw 19 likewise preferably integral with'f' the collar adapted to receive and retainftherearji end of a tiller which projects forwardlyin the same vertical plane asthe'ruddertoterminate of thetillen'andrelieve thebitt land associated parts toga considerable extent from stresses which would otherwise be imposed thereon by the weight and downward pull of the towing vca ble or hawser Cleading to the 713-118; Orxgqtl-rer towing-vessel." cableis attached to the forward end of -the tiller many-suitable way; conveniently by e 1a hook secured=--to,.-,the i nr el ei-fh i r t having a removable latch-pin 3l fiective tospref vent the eye in the end of the cable fro m slipping out'of the hook after it is engage fihereover. I

withthe correspondingarms of yoke =18'by means 7 of links 33 provided-with clevisjaws at. their ek 'tremi-ties receiving" the; ends ofi vthe arms and pivoted to the latter by vertically extending clevis D n B Pa Si e t ro h z l sii e i d le'r I j osciial I: "tween the tiller the stocks rom ckin out ter pins 35; 1 i

, Adjacent the either tiate automatic control of the course of; the barge.

Whenthe locking; pin 38 is in memes rudder is of courseeheld parallel :tothe keel of the barge thusinefiective to-control' the icours e of the' latten a condition w hich i sometimes deei e iiwhen wQ k ehe? e .e ndqquti. f slipspr jarpund lpiersor when i-t is lashedfa-longe latter Howeye or norrnal tgiwingconditibhs glocki eis,

' in mere" edibe- Wh n' he u is p ee -"m one st i ht andthe barge prpnerlyi-p ollowing' it shown 7 v before it i t The: arms of yoke -5 are respectively'connected e as em led po se y wt:

endqbf tr ck :1 an Pr fe b a sli h ly be ind: the-la r se s in n the-l n th" orlthetillergstopsfifi are secured to the deck ofthe 1 barge sogas'toliniitmovementof thetille -'f,d t Q '.t01anr e eim neds moun wh l i holding the; tiller stationary-L f n parallel 1 relation wsth ke w d ir-edaa oc i p t .77 m

am w dism e. e k tw en he t eet-"S ea and e ekl,thispos e neibcr fe -th e p p'n' ofqthe lower; end of a rernovable locking; pin 3,8 'which can bedropped through ahole in the tiller an m me bore in h p a s o n the-til e being of-,coursefree to rnove along. the track in geithrdirection when the pin is withdrawn to iniin Fig. 4, they pull of thevhawser on the tiller maintains the latter in a'substantially fore and aft position, and therudder is thus held parallel 'with'the keel of the barge or substantially so.

I-lo wever; if the stern of the barge because of some local condition or the like tends to slue toport and'jthefbow of the barge tostarboarcl, 'asirruiicate'd in Fig. 5, so that the hull of the l barge assumes ,a' more or less angular position I adjacentthe bowofthe barge" atapoint in/ad vance oi and above the rudder stock This tiller} 'may be of any suitable construction; the particular form illustrated embodyingside mam-' b'ers 21 and diagonal struts 22, such arrange ment formingfa light yet strong structuregbut if preferredpa solid-j tiller :oro'ne of} any other design. may: be utilizedp g Y J A jaw 2 5 is secured to ,the under face of the tiller adjacent its forwardrend to form a support forl apinLZG upon whichywithin the-jawarerotat ably mounted one or more rollers 27adapted to engagea curved track 28; secured to the deck pf Y the bargefapproximatingan arc of which the axis of bitt fiiistthe centers 'I'hemollers and track thusJafio-rd wiequate support to the forward end with respect '{to ,thefflead of the hawser to the tug .t-he tiller is immediately swung tonstarboard,

"considered-withrespect to the barge; and so move's tfie rudder irra direction to turn the bow of the barge back toward its proper course, the

lirnijt position of the tiller being indicated in "dottedlines in Fig. .l andcorresponding.position i the ud fbr the b ok n l ezo f-fl e A r e ba en, a ua l sira ht ns a. u nd e i f e ces 9f h -r. r e ii letiik w n s overrun, the latter a ,l-ittlegthe rudder swings momentari-1y slightly; to port so asto compensate th efor b turn n t b rs-e n. th Qrp direction. In like -manner, -sh ouldfthe stern of e "ba nd twel e t ist b n {the elbow to port, as indicated in Fig. 6, the tiller is swung teear i a am u n mi a e w h e deflectionoi? the: barge from; its; true course so as to ultimately i return, thebarge thereto. Under practical conditions of operation -sincefthe response ofg the rudder to any ,change of course of the barge ais suhstantiallygimmediate and thus tends to gcheckj'any deviation from the true course proceeds very far the angular movementgcf the rudder in either direction from fore [and-aftpositionisgenerally slight and seldom attains; the 5 permissible maximum as determined I by the-stops; Moreover because of the; differ,-

ence in length of the yokesand'the relatively great lengthof the tillenea cornparativelyslightangular pill-Lon the latter is'not; only etfective to exert a largeturningmoment "on the rudder stock and" rudder but also to turnv the latter through a somewhat greater are than thatthrough which the tiller is moved, as indicated. Fig l so that the apparatus as awhole is responsive and sensitive and ,efliciently "controls the course of the barge. 1 e e Furthermore, it, ire ii nii r ,he' ee ei. h

rudder grnust beymaintainedat an angle to the keel: :imcrder .to 'counteraet -the-iii-iluence of-a heavy ci'oss tide. orewindj and; under these cond s he we -a rate al lweltaut from its generally constant slightly angular .po-- sition to compensate I {or temporary variations. in thetide'or winds pressure against the lbarg-e.

Whenever the etugzchanges its course so as; to

direction in} m in in twill tnereror et ""pparn the apparatus a .m' t lr o d ns 't as rsepn mar e t v rh I a; slightly angular relation theretdthe rudder :being automatically turned in either direction.

' oi my inventionautomatically operativeto pro r y e tro e- 011x 60 h fba e h u h the direction. of; the

pull, exerted on the ltiller by the rhawser leading to' the towingvessel whenle ter .thei oc ins pi 01 io't e r m s pr ider;

specifically limit or confine myself thereto as changes and modifications may be made in the design, construction and arrangement of the various elements forming component parts ofvthe apparatus withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Having thus described United States:

1. The combination with a barge or like vessel having a rudder and a rudder stock, of rudder actuating means comprising a bitt, a tiller supported for oscillation on the bitt adapted for direct connection to a towing hawser, an arm movable with the tiller, an arm movable with the rudder stock, and means connecting the ends of said arms whereby movement of the tiller about the bitt iseffective to move the rudder.

2. The combination with a barge or like vessel having a bow rudder and a rudder stock, of rudder actuating means comprising a tiller adapted for connection with a towing hawser, a bitt, means supporting the tiller, for oscillation about the bitt, a yoke movable with the tiller about the bitt, a yoke movable with the rudder stock, and means connecting the respective ends of the yokes whereby movement of the tiller about the bitt is operative to correspondingly turn the rudder through a greater are.

3. The combination with a barge or like vessel having a bow rudder and a'rudder stock, of rudder actuating means comprising a forwardly extending tiller adapted for connection to a towing hawser, a bitt, means supporting the tiller for oscillation about the bitt, means affording vertical support to the forward end of the tiller, a yoke movable with the tiller about the bitt, a yoke movable with the rudder stock, and links connecting the respective arms of the yokes whereby movement of the. tiller is operative to turn the rudder in a like direction.

4. The combination with a barge or like vessel having a rudder and a rudder stock, of rudder actuating means comprising'a forwardly extending tiller adapted for connection to a towing hawser, a bitt disposed astern of the rudder stock,

:means supporting the tiller for oscillation about the bitt, means affording vertical support to the forward end of the tiller, a yoke movable with he tiller about the bitt having oppositely out wardly projecting arms, a yoke movable with the rudder stock having correspondingly outwardly projecting arms, and links extending between and connected to the corresponding arms of the yokes; the distance between the axis of oscillation of .i

the first mentioned yoke and its points of connection with the links being greater than the distance between the axis of oscillation of the second mentioned yoke and its points of connection with the links.

5. The combination with a barge or the like having a bow rudder and a rudder stock, of 'a ser is operative to turn the rudder through a my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of {the sponding arms of the yokes, an arcuate track disposed beneath the forward end of the tiller on bitt, a tiller normally extending forwardly from fore and aft position inducedby changes in the angular relation between the barge and the hawgreater angle to direct the bow of the barge in a similar direction. a

6. The combination with a barge or the like having a bow rudder and a rudder stock, of a bitt, a tiller extending forwardly from the bitt adapted for connection-to a towing hawser, means supporting the tiller for oscillation about, the bitt, a yoke, having oppositely projecting arms, arranged for oscillation about. the bitt in correspondence with the movements of the tiller,' a yoke carried by the rudder stock also having between and connected to the corresponding arms of the yokes, the'distance between the axis ofthe bitt and the points at which the links are con nected to the arms of the first mentioned yoke being greater than the distance-between the axis of the rudder stock and the pointsat which the links are connected to the second mentioned yoke whereby the movement of the tiller in either direction from fore and aft position induced by 31 changes in the angular relation between the barge and the hawser is operative to turn the rudder and the hawser by which it is being towed, comprising a bitt disposed astern of the rudder stock, a tiller supported for oscillation about the bitt, extending forwardly therefrom, and adapted for connection with said hawser, a yoke arranged for oscillation about the bitt in correspondence with the oscillations of the tiller and provided with 125 outwardly oppositely extending arms, a yoke car-. ried by the rudder stock also having outwardly extending arms and links connecting the correan arc of which the axis of the bitt is the center, and a'roller, carried by the tiller, bearing on said track to afford support to the former.

v8. The combination with a barge or the like having a bowrudder, of rudder actuating means comprising a bitt,-a tiller supported for oscillation on the bitt, extending forwardly therefrom, and i l adapted for connection to'the towing hawser, and means interconnecting the tiller with the rudder operative. when the tiller is swung to either side 3.4;;

from normal fore and aft position by a change in the angular relation between the barge and the hawser to turn the rudder in the same direction through a progressively greater angle and thereby alter the course of the barge,

, GEORGE R; TAYLOR.

V movement of the tiller in either direction from oppositely projecting arms, and links extending 

